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| 3808055956 | apostrophe | a figure of speech sometimes represented by exclamation "O". A writer or a speaker, using an apostrophe, detaches himself from the reality and addresses an imaginary character in his speech EX: "Oh car, I wish you would start!" | 0 | |
| 3808094040 | satire | a technique employed by writers to expose and criticize foolishness and corruption of an individual or a society by using humor, irony, exaggeration or ridicule | 1 | |
| 3808098743 | paradox | contrary to expectations, existing belief or perceived opinion EX: Truth is honey which is bitter EX: So foul and fair a day... | 2 | |
| 3808125932 | allusion | a figure of speech whereby the author refers to a subject matter such as a place, event, or literary work by way of a passing reference EX: "Don't act like a Romeo in front of her." - "Romeo" is a reference to Shakespeare's Romeo, a passionate lover of Juliet, in "Romeo and Juliet". | 3 | |
| 3808132972 | synecdoche | part of something represents the whole or it may use a whole to represent a part EX: I just got some new wheels. "Wheels" is a reference to a car. | 4 | |
| 3808144530 | euphemism | polite, indirect expressions which replace words and phrases considered harsh and impolite or which suggest something unpleasant EX: "kick the bucket" is a euphemism that describes the death of a person | 5 | |
| 3808166067 | alliteration | a number of words, typically three or more, that have the same first consonant sound fall within the same sentence or phrase EX: Whisper words of wisdom, let it be. | 6 | |
| 3808175504 | irony | Words are used in such a way that their intended meaning is different from the actual meaning of the words. It may also be a situation that may end up in quite a different way than what is generally anticipated. In simple words, it is a difference between the appearance and the reality. | 7 | |
| 3808178936 | pun | a play on words in which a humorous effect is produced by using a word that suggests two or more meanings or by exploiting similar sounding words having different meanings EX: An elephant's opinion carries a lot of weight. | 8 | |
| 3808184409 | aphorism | a statement of truth or opinion expressed in a concise and witty manner; often applied to philosophical, moral and literary principles EX: The simplest questions are the hardest to answer. | 9 | |
| 3808191656 | litotes | employing an understatement by using double negatives or, in other words, positive statement is expressed by negating its opposite expressions EX: She is not unlike her mother. | 10 | |
| 3808196139 | inversion | the normal order of words is reversed in order to achieve a particular effect of emphasis or meter EX: So foul and fair a day I have not seen. | 11 | |
| 3808211031 | epithet | used as a descriptive device, usually used to add to a person or place's regular name and attribute some special quality to the same EX: "Alexander the Great" is the epithet commonly used to refer to Alexander III of Macedon. | 12 | |
| 3808221766 | hyperbole | a figure of speech, which involves an exaggeration of ideas for the sake of emphasis EX: I am dying of shame. | 13 | |
| 3808228456 | tone | an attitude of a writer toward a subject or an audience, generally conveyed through the choice of words or the viewpoint of a writer on a particular subject | 14 | |
| 3808242439 | anaphora | the deliberate repetition of the first part of the sentence in order to achieve an artistic effect EX: "It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity, it was the season of Light, it was the season of Darkness, it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair." The repetitive structure used in the above lines make it the most memorable and remarkable start of a narrative ever achieved by a writer. "It" repeated all the way through the passage makes the readers focus more on the traits of the "age" they are reading about. | 15 | |
| 3808251782 | metonymy | a figure of speech that replaces the name of a thing with the name of something else with which it is closely associated EX: The pen is mightier than the sword. (Pen refers to written words and sword to military force.) EX: Let me give you a hand. (Hand means help.) | 16 | |
| 3808260151 | juxtaposition | two or more ideas, places, characters and their actions are placed side by side in a narrative or a poem for the purpose of developing comparisons and contrasts | 17 | |
| 3808277411 | anecdote | a short and interesting story or an amusing event often proposed to support or demonstrate some point and make readers and listeners laugh | 18 | |
| 3808289774 | allegory | abstract ideas and principles are described in terms of characters, figures and events Although an allegory uses symbols, it is different from symbolism. An allegory is a complete narrative which involves characters, and events that stand for an abstract idea or an event. A symbol, on the other hand, is an object that stands for another object giving it a particular meaning. | 19 | |
| 3808300612 | antithesis | literal meaning opposite, is a rhetorical device in which two opposite ideas are put together in a sentence to achieve a contrasting effect EX: Antithesis emphasizes the idea of contrast by parallel structures of the contrasted phrases or clauses, i.e. the structures of phrases and clauses are similar in order to draw the attention of the listeners or readers. For example: "Setting foot on the moon may be a small step for a man but a giant step for mankind." The use of contrasting ideas, "a small step" and "a giant step", in the sentence above emphasizes the significance of one of the biggest landmarks of human history. | 20 | |
| 3808305285 | personification | a thing, an idea or an animal is given human attributes EX: The wind whispered through dry grass. | 21 | |
| 3808309289 | foreshadowing | a writer gives an advance hint of what is to come later in the story | 22 | |
| 3808314690 | mood | evokes certain feelings or vibes in readers through words and descriptions; commonly referred to as the atmosphere of a literary piece, as it creates an emotional situation that surrounds the readers; can be developed through setting, theme, tone and diction | 23 | |
| 3808325874 | understatement | a figure of speech employed by writers or speakers to intentionally make a situation seem less important than it really is EX: You win 10 million dollars in a lottery. When you tell a news reporter "I am delighted", you are making an understatement about how much you've won. | 24 | |
| 3808330437 | analogy | a comparison in which an idea or a thing is compared to another thing that is quite different from it; explaining that idea or thing by comparing it to something that is familiar EX: Just as a sword is the weapon of a warrior, a pen is the weapon of a writer. EX: How a doctor diagnoses diseases is like how a detective investigates crimes. | 25 | |
| 3808340997 | emotional appeal | a method of persuasion that's designed to create an emotional response. Emotion (also known as pathos or suffering in Greek) is one of the three modes of persuasion identified by Aristotle | 26 | |
| 3808347802 | rhetorical question | a question asked just for effect or to lay emphasis on some point discussed when no real answer is expected; may have an obvious answer but the questioner asks rhetorical questions to lay emphasis to the point; in literature, is self-evident and used for style as an impressive persuasive device | 27 | |
| 3808356029 | assonance | takes place when two or more words close to one another repeat the same vowel sound but start with different consonant sounds EX: The enginEEr held the stEEring to stEEr the vehicle. | 28 | |
| 3808378155 | motif | an object or idea that repeats itself throughout a literary work | 29 | |
| 3828513078 | malapropism | a use of an incorrect word in place of a similar sounding word that results in a nonsensical and humorous expression; malapropisms are often unintentional but writers introduce malapropism in their literary works intentionally to produce comic effects | 30 | |
| 3828513410 | non sequitur | a Latin phrase that means "it doesn't follow"; statements, sayings and conclusions that do not follow the fundamental principles of logic and reason EX: David eats broccoli. David should love to eat meat. | 31 | |
| 3828513641 | oxymoron | a figure of speech in which two opposite ideas are joined to create an effect. The common oxymoron phrase is a combination of an adjective proceeded by a noun with contrasting meanings EX: "cruel kindness" or "living death" | 32 |
